Commission members in a telephone conference meeting today said they wanted to provide more opportunity for public comment since the action was taken on Dec. 10 when the commission met in Vancouver.

As part of its effort to simplify and consolidate the Department of Fish and Wildlife's hunting and fishing licensing system, the commission voted Dec. 10 to combine the two-day fishing license with the two-day license for gathering shellfish and seaweed. The commission also set the price of the combined two-day license at $9 for residents and non-residents as of April 1, 2000. At present, the two-day fishing and two-day shellfish/seaweed licenses cost $6 each for residents as well as non-residents.

On Dec. 30, the commission is going to reconsider the price of the combined two-day license. The new combined license would be available April 1, 2000 and will allow a resident or non-resident to fish in either salt or freshwater and gather shellfish and seaweed. The commission will consider reducing the price of the combined two-day license to $6. The $6 fee would apply to residents as well as non-residents.

The Dec. 30 commission meeting will be a telephone conference call. Persons wishing to listen to the meeting or comment should come to the director's conference room on the fifth floor, Natural Resources Building, 1111 S.E. Washington St., Olympia. Persons may email comments to: commission@dfw.wa.gov or fax them to (360) 902-2448.